quando la musica trae ispirazione dalla notte e dal sonno

"Their coupling of the Quintet and Quartet is a worthwhile one, and sound is warm and clear. Strongly recommended."

"Els canvis de caràcter, el joc rítmic i la densitat del teixit instrumental apunten cap a una escriptura més ambiciosa, que els músics destaquen amb energia i claredat estructural."

"The finale seems to exist beyond time before finding its momentum, and this is not achieved though a near-glacial important but through chord weighting, firm harmonic basis, and long-erm hearing and vision. The sense of organic growth, f opening out, is visceral. Possibly most impressive is Sandrin's control of pianissimo. A makable account."

"Marie François ha un tocco raffinato, poetico, vellutato ma anche drammatico, ci mette tutto il lirismo che serve, anche dilatando le pause lad- dove serva o addomesticando le cadenze al proprio discorso. Ma soprattutto - perché il merito è davvero notevole in questo - Marie François riesce a estrarre dal pianoforte un suono morbidissimo e una tavolozza timbrica iridescente. Una veste, per questi Notturni, davvero incantevole."

"La performance dello Zemlinsky Quartett è di assoluto valore per lucentezza strumentale, finezza ago- gica, lirismo interpretativo."

Nominated on Longlist 1/2026 for: Jury Concertos

LE DISQUE DU JOUR - "Lecture magistrale, comme celle du Quatrième Quatuor : la mise en abime dès l’Andante initial fait songer à Bartók, tout comme le nocturne esseulé de l’Andante, et les fantaisies un rien ironiques du Finale n’en disperseront pas l’amertume."

„Sie neigt nicht dazu, zwanghaft virtuos zu klingen, sondern pflegt ein wunderschön ausgewogenes Spiel mit dynamischen Kontrasten, mit Schnell und Langsam, mit Stille und leidenschaftlicher Dramatik.“

"This recording brilliantly illuminates the counterpoint; the listener can hear each of the musical lines as they smoothly weave around one another. This clarity is partly owing to the wonderful purity of the singers’ tones—there is not a speck of vibrato to distract! Countertenor Franz Vitzthum’s sound is particularly striking; his melismas positively soar. But the recording itself is also well balanced."

"These readings are passionate, polished, and utterly committed. I especially love their way with the fast movements in both pieces, full of syncopated, rambunctious joy. Much of this music is steeped in folk motifs, though it is complex and highly contrapuntal. Quintet 1, from 1952, opens with an austere unison motif that haunts the entire piece. This is a big, expressive work, with a wacky, heavily accented Presto based on the Polish oberek, an eloquent slow movement, and a fast-flying finale, all played here with freshness and a sense of adventure. The quartet is just as captivating, especially the triumphant finale. The piece opens with a somber, hymn-like introduction that becomes increasingly tender before an ostinato ushers in vigorous fast music, the movement building toward a bright, affirmative major chord at the end. The album closes with a folk tune arranged for quartet—a charming coda. The recorded sound is intimate and appealing."

"This is my first encounter with both the Romantic Fantasy and the 2 soloists. More, please, from Mathis Rochat and Abigel Kralik, 2 gorgeous players steeped in the traditions of great string players in the early and mid-20th Century."

Critics’ Choice 2025 - Rob Haskins

"Le naturel et l'allant de la pianiste belge Marie François préserve son intégrale des Nocturnes de Chopin de l'emphase comme de la mièvrerie. Si elle négocie avec habileté les épisodes extravertis, ce sont les pages les plus épurées qui lui réussissent le mieux."

"Il y a dans cette sonorité une beauté douloureuse, une manière de se mettre à nu au détour d'une inflexion de l'archet ou d'une note qui s'étire dans l'aigu [...] On ne craint pas les épreuves quand on a l'aventure gravée dans la peau."

Le disque Choix Musiq3 - "Il s'y dégage une quiétude délicieuse"

"Sopraan Lore Binon en luitist Jurgen De Bruyn (Zefiro Torna) laten zich op hun jongste album Somnia inspireren door het fenomeen slaap en de mysterieuze sluimerwereld. Door de eeuwen heen hebben schrijvers, schilders en componisten zich laten inspireren door datzelfde fenomeen en de symboliek ervan. In Somnia betreden Lore & Jurgen het muzikale schemerduister van enkele prachtige composities uit de late renaissance en barok en van tijdloze rootsmuziek uit verschillende delen van de wereld."

"this recording should win admirers of both this fine composer and these thougtful musicians."

"The contrasts between these two masterpieces could not be found in any other two consecutive works by Schumann. While the melodic genius is present all through both sets, the piano writing, mood and technical requirements are quite different. Giacometti meets and exceeds all of these. He has the ability to spin a beautiful legato melody, perfectly balanced with the accompaniment. The Evil Penguin recorded sound is state of the art, capturing an excellent historical instrument."

"Both Giacometti’s poetic sensitivity and the 1838 Érard suit Schumann’s Kinderszenen in most gratifying fashion. Giacometti’s broad, sensitive account is marvelously inflected to embody the work’s narrative elements. It’s a charming performance."

"Mathis Rochat, the soloist on this welcome album, has all the ingredients of a superstar in the making: cast-iron technique, distinctive singing tone and natural skills of communication."

"Hoch virtuos, "very british“ und unterhaltsam ... Mathis Rochat, ein toller Bratschist , sehr heller Bratschenklang, sehr klarer Bogenstrich, total präzise und gestochen scharf"

"Rochat verfügt über einen ungemein sonoren, exquisiten Ton, und bereits klanglich ist es eine Freude, seinem Spiel zu lauschen. Im Howells’ Elegie könnte man darüber diskutieren, ob etwa die leichten Portamenti, die Rochat gerne verwendet, nicht gerade angesichts der stillen Trauer des Beginns eine Spur zu üppig wirken; in den extrovertierteren Werken von Walton und Benjamin stellen sich solche Fragen nicht."

"El Cuarteto Zemlinsky nos regala con este soberbio recital, rico en dramatismo y expresividad, una pequeña velada de gran intensidad, que permite comprender la grandeza de estas obras de Smetana."

"La seva lectura accentua el caràcter introspectiu de l’obra, subratllant-ne la veu melòdica amb una expressivitat natural, sense artificis. Howard Griffiths, al capdavant de la BBC National Orchestra of Wales, ofereix una versió atenta als equilibris i al diàleg entre solista i orquestra: no hi ha competència, sinó un teixit sonor compartit, ric en matisos i transparències."

"Und, schon vom ersten Ton an zieht er in seinen Bann: sowohl in den Bann der Bratsche, als auch in jenen dieser britischen Klangsprache. Das BBC National Orchestra of Wales mit Howard Griffiths am Dirigentenpult ist Mathis Rochat ein gebührender Wegbegleiter."

"The famous C-minor Nocturne is glorious. The interpretation is all-encompassing. Every little musical detail plays a role in the drama she recreates."

#PłytaTygodnia (Record of the Week) - "Tradycja wykonawcza przyzwyczaiła mnie jednak, że IV Kwartetowi smyczkowemu i I Kwintetowi fortepianowemu należy się więcej ostrości i zadziorności. Muzycy polsko-belgijskiego Kwartetu Karskiego (od Jana) o nich nie zapominają, ale po Bacewicz sięgnęli raczej nie dla jej dziarskich rytmów i nieustępliwych kulminacji, lecz właśnie ze względu na wolne ewolucje, barwne harmonie oraz śpiewne melodie. I jak spięcia mijają tutaj szybko, tak w momentach lirycznych, kołysankowych, sentymentalnych szybko się rozmarzam."

LE DISQUE DU JOUR - "Mathis Rochat émeut, archet diseur et timbre profond, qui sait bien que la mélodie sinueuse ouvrant le Concerto de Walton pourra sembler en découler. Il savoure la pure beauté d’une œuvre que les virtuoses surexposent trop souvent, préférant chanter dans les paysages maritimes que lui tissent les Gallois inspirés par la direction élégante d’Howard Griffiths, qui enlèvera prestement la tarentelle du Vivo."